Turntable



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United States Patent 3,032,917 TURNTABLE Edward C. Shine, P.0. Box 232,Shalimar, Fla. Filed July 27, 1959, Ser. No. 829,895 8 Claims. (Cl.45-131) This is an continuation-in-part of copending application, U.S.Ser. No. 767,688, filed October 16, 1958, and now abandoned.

The invention pertains to drafting equipment, and more particularly totracing-drawing tables.

An object of the invention is to provide a portable drafting table ofthe type which has a translucent panel through which light is adapted topass and on which the drafting paper, linen, etc. is placed.

A drafting table in accordance with the-invention is made of areceptacle having a top wall Within which a rotatable translucent panelis recessed, furnishing the necessary smooth surface on which to supportthe drafting paper of an appropriate, selected type. Any number ofauxiliary instruments may be used with the table; for example, aT-square, the simpler implements, and the more complex and complicatedinstruments. Any instrument which can be used in any conventionaldrafting table may be used with the drafting table having the improvedfeatures of this invention therein.

An important feature of the invention is found in the translucent panel.It is rotatably supported so that the work may be turned successively tothe most comfortable position before the worker, thereby avoiding thenecessity of standing, twisting and awkward strained positions inturning that are assumed by draftsmen.

The advantages of having the work movable to any position through a full360 of rotation are immediately evident to artists, draftsmen,architects, and all others skilled in allied arts. Specific advantageswill accrue to special crafts and arts and are not completely enumeratedherein.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view, parts broken away, of a drafting table inaccordance with the invention. In this view the cover of the portabledrafting table is removed.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3- 3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE1.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of several of the parts of theportable drafting table in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the portable drafting table in thecarrying or storage position.

In the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a portable draftingtable 10 made of a cabinet or receptacle of flat configuration. It has acarrying handle 12 together with two sections 14 and 16 separablyconnected with each other by means of trunk latches 18. An electricalline cord 20 having a plug 22 at the outer end extends through anopening 24 in side wall 25 of section 16 and supplies electricalpotential for operating electric light tubes 26 and 28 which may be ofany conventional type, for instance, fluorescent tubes. The tubes 28 and26 are supported by conventional sockets 32 at the ends of the tubes,and these are secured to walls 27 and 29 of section 16. Notice thattubes 26 and 28 are laterally spaced from central aperture 36 of topwall 40, the top wall 40 forming a part of the lower section 16 of thecabinet. The starters and ballasts 42 for the tubes 26 and 28 areoperatively wired in circuit with the sockets 32. The starters andballasts are conventional, but the placement is not. They are containedwithin lower section 16 of the cabinet.

Wall 40 is made of a panel attached, for example, by screws at the fourcorners thereof, to the shallow walls of lower section 16. As wasexpressed previously, any number of conventional instruments may be usedwith the drafting table and to show this, scale 48 is mountedoperatively on panel 40 and is adapted to traverse the panel on theguides 50 constituting a part of scale 48.

Panel 40 has central aperture 36, and an annular recess 52 which opensupwardly through the top surface of panel 40 and which communicates withaperture 36. Recess 52 has a side wall 54 and a bottom wall 56, and theinner edge 58 of wall 56 constitutes the confines of the previouslymentioned aperture 36. Recess 52 opens upwardly of panel 40 andconstitutes a seat for a transparent panel 60. The transparent panel maybe ground glass, translucent plastic or a like suitable material. Panel60 is circular and of a diameter to fit neatly within recess 52.

A plurality of bearings 62 for panel 60 are carried by panel 40 andlocated in openings 64 (FIGURE 4) formed in wall 56. Each bearing 62 ispreferably in the form of a plastic spool having a spindle 66 extendingthrough the central bore thereof and connected with portions of panel 40on opposite sides of aperture 64. A portion of the bearing 62 projectsupwardly from the upper surface of wall 56 so as to form a rollingsupport for panel 60. It is now evident that panel 60 is capable of afull 360 rotation with reference to panel 40. A full 360' scale 76 is atthe periphery of recess 52, and corresponding graduations 72 form ascale at the periphery of panel 60 to enable the draftsman to quicklyascertain the amount of rotation desired or obtained.

Section 14 of the cabinet is also shallow and has a top wall 74 togetherwith side walls 76 to which portions of trunk latches 18 are secured.There is an outwardly opening recess 80 at the perimeter of panel 40within which walls 76 snugly fit (FIGURE 2) when the section 14 isattached by latches 18 to section 16 (carrying or storage positions).

In use and operation, the light within section 16 emanates from beneathpanel 40 and to the sides of translucent panel 60 (FIGURE 2) so that thedispersion of light is favorable, there being essentially no brightspots in panel 60. The draftsman is free to apply his work onto panel 60which constitutes a turntable, or panel 40, in any way he chooses.However, there is available at all times to the draftsman the feature ofbeing able to turn his work instead of assuming different positionsduring his drafting.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable drafting table comprising a cabinet having a cabinetsection provided with side walls, a bottom wall, and a top panel, saidtop panel having an aperture, a translucent panel, seat means fixed tosaid top panel for receiving said translucent panel for rotation in saidaperture relative to said seat means, anti-friction bearing meansmounted in said seat means for contact with and support of saidtranslucent panel, said translucent panel constituting a surface onwhich to support drafting work, whereby the drafting work together withthe translucent panel is capable of being rotated to selected positions.

2. A portable drafting table comprising a cabinet having a cabinetsection provided with side walls, a bottom wall, and a top panel, saidtop panel having an aperture, a translucent panel, seat means fixed tosaid top panel for receiving said translucent panel for rotation in saidaperture relative to said seat means, anti-friction bearing meansmounted in said seat means for contact with and support of saidtranslucent panel, said translucent panel constituting a surface onwhich to support drafting work, whereby the drafting work together withthe translucent panel is capable of being rotated to selected positions,a light source in said section, and means to connect said light sourceto a power source.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said light source includes a pairof light tubes, said upper panel being opaque and having said tubeslocated directly therebelow on either side of the aperture for indirectillumination of the translucent panel.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said bearing means for supportingsaid translucent panel include a plurality of rollers, said upper panelhaving an upwardly opening recess which includes a bottom surface, anouter side and an inner side, said inner side defining said aperture,said rollers mounted with at least a portion of each projecting abovethe upper surface of said recess and supporting said translucent panelflush with the upper surface of said opaque panel.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said bearing means for supportingsaid translucent panel include a plurality of rollers, said upper panelhaving an upwardly opening recess which includes a bottom surface, anouter side and an inner side, said inner side defining said aperture,said rollers mounted with at least a portion of each projecting abovethe upper surface of said recess and supporting said translucent panelflush with the upper surface of said opaque panel, a second sectioncooperating with the first-mentioned section and forming a covertherefor, and means separably connecting said sections together, i

6. In drafting equipment, a portable drafting table comprising a cabinetsection having walls and an upper panel, said upper panel provided withan aperture, a translucent panel located in said aperture and flush withthe upper surface of said upper panel, seat means fixed to said upperpanel for receivingsaid translucent panel for rotation relative to theseat means so that said translucent panel may be rotated to selectedpositions at the convenience of the draftsman, and a light sourcecontained within said section on either side of the aperture to transmitlight rays to the lower surface of said translucent panel.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 including graduations forming ascale on one of said panels, and a second section operatively associatedwith the firstmentioned section.

8. A portable drafting device comprising, lower case means, illuminatingmeans mounted within said lower case means adjacent opposite sidesthereof, removable panel means mounted on top of said lower case means,fixed seat means mounted within said panel means defining an openingdisposed between said illumination means in the lower case means, aplurality of radially disposed spaced roller means mounted in said seatmeans, a translucent panel rotationally supported on the roller meansand closely received within said seat means, peripheral recess meansformed on said panel means, a top closure case means capable ofinterfitting in said recess means and lock means mounted on said lowercase means and top closure case means for holding said top case means inassembled relation over said panel means for transport purposes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,559,665 Berry et a1. Nov. 3, 1925 2,215,462 Davidson Sept. 24, 19402,855,721 Shelly Oct. 14, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 248,506 Switzerland Feb.2, 1948

